What would you do? Westerdam Aft VA vs SY midships

[HeatherInFlorida]

We're booked on Westerdam to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary next year. We booked an aft cabin, 5185 (VA), and were thrilled to get it because I've always wanted to cruise in an aft cabin and watch the wake. My nephew and his wife are booked in a Deck 4 cabin below us.

 

For about $500 I can upgrade to an SY (obviously considerably larger) but not an aft cabin and it looks over the lifeboats, not my favorite location.

 

I'm so torn. DH could care less about the size of the cabin so he's no help:D. I could really use some opinions especially from people who have cruised in the VA aft cabins or the SYs. I know Deck 5 balconies are completely covered which is actually good news. There's lots of things I can do on that cruise for $500 and truthfully I'm not even sure why I'm tempted!

 

So what do you think? Really appreciate your feelings. Thanks!:)

[King Neptune]

I think you should go with your gut. If the space is not a consideration than the extra $ would be better spent somewhere else.

[Sanlin]

We had an aft on the "Z" - 7138 and loved it. Nice large balcony with room for a lounge chair or two and watching the wake was so soothing!

[esther e]

Are the VA aft on Deck 4 also covered? Can you get ANY sun on 5? We're booked in one now, and I'm starting to worry!

[Cruising-along]

I agree, go with your first inclination Heather. And congratulations on your upcoming anniversary!! :D

[jtl513]

I've never been in a stern VA or an SY, but since you say

.. and were thrilled to get it because I've always wanted to cruise in an aft cabin and watch the wake.

and

but not an aft cabin and it looks over the lifeboats, not my favorite location.

I would say go with the VA this time and do the SY another!! :D

[gordons4]

We were in 5184 on the Oosterdam last summer--for our 25th wedding anniversary. :D I had the same debate with myself, and chose to stay with the aft VA. We LOVED it. Watching the wake was incredible. (I can't speak to the "covered" part, though, as this was pre-retrofit.)

 

Whatever you choose, I'm sure it will be a great cruise.

 

Sheri

[mrsltg]

I'm a big fan of being as far aft or forward as possible. Less hallway traffic is a big benefit in my book. I would keep the aft cabin and use the $500 to splurge elsewhere. Happy Anniversary and have a wonderful trip!

[HeatherInFlorida]

Are the VA aft on Deck 4 also covered? Can you get ANY sun on 5? We're booked in one now, and I'm starting to worry!

 

Deck 4 is not covered. In fact, from all the pictures I've seen they would get the most sun. So no worries!

 

I'm happy it's covered because I stay out of the sun and also it eliminates those worries about "stuff" falling from above!

 

Going with my gut is what I always do, but this time I'm so balanced! There's good about both. That's why I came here to check because so many have cruised in one or both.

 

Sheri, what a coincidence!!! Congratulations on your 25th! It's good to hear you loved it and that sways me. We also thought it would be fun to be above my nephew (though one over to give them some privacy;)). I agree with others that even though your faced with a long walk to the bow, there's something terrific about being aft (besides the wake which is a huge plus).

 

jtl, I think you may have the right idea!!! Do two!!! LOL:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations on your upcoming 25th anniversary!!

We have never stayed in either the VA or SY -- but I would not like looking over the lifeboats in the SY -- I want to see the Ocean.

JMO -- stay with the VA -- see the wake and ocean and use that extra money for dinners and etc., on the ship.

[lawyerrose]

Deck 4 is not covered. In fact, from all the pictures I've seen they would get the most sun. So no worries!

 

I'm happy it's covered because I stay out of the sun and also it eliminates those worries about "stuff" falling from above!

 

Going with my gut is what I always do, but this time I'm so balanced! There's good about both. That's why I came here to check because so many have cruised in one or both.

 

Sheri, what a coincidence!!! Congratulations on your 25th! It's good to hear you loved it and that sways me. We also thought it would be fun to be above my nephew (though one over to give them some privacy;)). I agree with others that even though your faced with a long walk to the bow, there's something terrific about being aft (besides the wake which is a huge plus).

 

jtl, I think you may have the right idea!!! Do two!!! LOL:D

 

 

OK, here's my take on it. Was in an SS on the Westerdam and really liked the extra room and the bathroom was great! Larger balcony b/c the room itself is wider.

 

Our last cruise on the Zuiderdam, we were in an aft cabin (suite) but our friends were in a "V" cabin next to us. The balcony will be deeper, but fairly narrow. We LOVED the sound of the wake!!! The wind never bothers you back there, either - but if it's a Caribbean cruise during hot weather that also could be a minus.

 

You can't go wrong with either choice. Have fun!:)

[COLLEYBERRY]

Happy 25 th Anniversary.....what a wonderful way to celebrate.

 

It just so happens our first cruise was in a SY mid ship ( Zuiderdam) and our second aft/wakeview (Eurodam)

 

The space was lovely in the SY but frankly that wakeview tops all else.

It added so much to our cruise experience and when I need to go to a "happy place" sunrise over the wake is where I go.LOL

 

The Westerdam balconies look much deeper than the Eurodam's ,so double lucky.for you.

 

The stern is a lovely quiet location on the ship , I also believe the cabins may be a little wider.

 

Our next cruise is a Sky Suite on Celebrity(booked before we experienced an aft cabin) and honestly if I had it back again I would so rather be looking at the wake.

 

Hey ,you could put the 500.00 down on your next aft cabin:D I am sure you will love the location .

Wishing you every happiness.,on your anniversary and up coming cruise.

Regards Colleen

[HeatherInFlorida]

Colleen, thank you! That's great information and supports my feeling that the wake just make trump the larger cabin. As several have said, I can use the $500 toward the next cruise and get an SY!!! Unless I fall in love with the wake:). BTW, you will love the Sky Suite on Celebrity. Not sure which ship you're on, but we were once booked on the Mercury in the Sky Suite and someone from here on CC sent me a ton of pictures. It was awesome!

 

KK, that was my feeling. With the lifeboats there we won't even see the ship slicing thru the ocean which I always love. As you say, lots of dinners and spa appts I can get with $500!:D

 

Of course my dream location is still the SC corner suite on a Vista ship. But on this cruise it's about $1800 more and I just can't rationalize that!!!

[jtl513]

We have never stayed in either the VA or SY -- but I would not like looking over the lifeboats in the SY

 

KK, that was my feeling. With the lifeboats there we won't even see the ship slicing thru the ocean which I always love.

The lifeboat tops are below the floor level of deck 5, so they are barely noticeable from there when you are seated. From an SY on deck 6 you will not see them at all unless you are standing at the rail and looking nearly straight down ... except maybe from 6108, where you could look forward along the line.

[COLLEYBERRY]

Colleen, thank you! That's great information and supports my feeling that the wake just make trump the larger cabin. As several have said, I can use the $500 toward the next cruise and get an SY!!! Unless I fall in love with the wake:). BTW, you will love the Sky Suite on Celebrity. Not sure which ship you're on, but we were once booked on the Mercury in the Sky Suite and someone from here on CC sent me a ton of pictures. It was awesome!

 

KK, that was my feeling. With the lifeboats there we won't even see the ship slicing thru the ocean which I always love. As you say, lots of dinners and spa appts I can get with $500!:D

 

Of course my dream location is still the SC corner suite on a Vista ship. But on this cruise it's about $1800 more and I just can't rationalize that!!!

 

We're sailing on the Constellation(Trans Atlantic) this Sept .We have a large angled balcony and I am sure we will enjoy our cruise . I will miss the wake though.:)

 

I so agree SC corner aft Vista suite trumps everything.:D One day.......sigh.

[seaisme]

We were in 5185 this January...a nice cabin and GREAT cabin steward. The upgrade will provide you with one advantage...you both can get ready (shower, etc.) for dinner at the same time instead of taking turns (double sinks, two showers, etc.). We tried the SY cabin on a previous cruise (not aft) due to the same upgrade "deal"...but decided the little extra room and bathroom upgrades weren't a good trade-off for lying on the lounge, looking at the stars and listening to the wake every evening. And level five is covered, which is perfect for us since my husband needs to watch sun exposure (skin cancer) and I like to sleep out on the deck and therefore don't get wet with dew or rain. Next cruise (Oct 2009) we have the corner aft cabin on five on the Westy.

 

Happy anniversary!

[HeatherInFlorida]

The lifeboat tops are below the floor level of deck 5, so they are barely noticeable from there when you are seated. From an SY on deck 6 you will not see them at all unless you are standing at the rail and looking nearly straight down ... except maybe from 6108, where you could look forward along the line.

 

I'm sorry if I misled ... I didn't mean to suggest they obstruct the view. But you are set back as opposed to being further forward or aft where you look directly down at the water when standing by the rail (which I do a lot ... one of my favorite spots). It's just different.

 

We're sailing on the Constellation(Trans Atlantic) this Sept .We have a large angled balcony and I am sure we will enjoy our cruise . I will miss the wake though.:)

 

I so agree SC corner aft Vista suite trumps everything.:D One day.......sigh.

 

We were booked on Constellation in a Sky angled balcony and ended up having to cancel ... but that's a great cabin!!! Enjoy!

Yup ... SC corner aft is in my future someday! Just not now:) ... and it was available!

Seaisme, thanks for the info! Love hearing from someone who's been in the cabin since the refit (or whatever it's called):). So the balcony didn't feel like a tunnel? And the cabin wasn't dark? That's the only thing I worried about since the balcony is narrow and long.

What a great point about the cover if it rains! Perfect!

Lucky you in that corner aft! Someday!:D

[twinkletoes4445]

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on the aft cabin. We always stick with cabins in the middle, but I do love watching the ship's wake.

 

Hope you have a wonderful cruise. Happy 25th Anniversary! :)

[fateknows]

We were in 5186 and loved it. The veranda offered privacy, shade and lots of space. We figured that a Caribbean cruise offered plenty of sunshine if we chose to seek it out. I agree with the other posters, the $500 can be better spent.

 

Here is a look down on deck 4.

 

Here is a look out from our room, it shows the coverage and privacy.

 

This one shows that you can get plenty of light during the day.

[mamaofami]

Heather, we had an aft cabin on both the Noordam and the Eurodam and both were on deck 5. I loved looking out on the wake. The Eurodam balcony was much smaller than the Noordam.The cabin was fine. In MHO, I would go with your original plan and spend the $500 elsewhere. You'll love sitting and looking at the wake. I read a book and had my ipod with music. It was heaven.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Heather I just saw this thread. Congratulations on your 25th Wedding Anniversary. I think going on a cruise is a good way to do it :) Our very first cruise ever was for our 25th back in 2002.

Now for your dilemma , both have pros and cons :D I have to say that You will loved having a SY or SS cabin, it truly feels like having a Full S Suite in many ways. As you mentioned the deck 4 aft cabin is not totally covered and it will get sun. As much as we love the aft, especailly the corner aft I think I would chose the SY/SS cabin. You honestly will not even see those life boats and the verandah is so much bigger with a nice size table. The VA aft is nice but is narrow. But the cabin itself is like any other cabin. The SS/SY will feel different and oh so roomy compared to what you have had before. As much as I always say I want to just enjoy the wake when we have an aft cabin we just never spend near as much time out there as we think we will. Where we do find we spend a lot of time is in the cabin when we have the larger cabin.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Lisa, thanks so much for those thoughts. I knew you would be a good one to give a comparison. What a conundrum! I thought I had pretty much decided to keep the aft VA (we're on 5 which is covered ... my nephew and his wife are on 4). But now what you're telling me has me tossing it around again!:)

 

I'm guessing that when you say "narrow", you mean the same width as a regular VA cabin ... not narrower? Any narrower and we'd be jumping over the bed!!! LOL.

 

On a 7-day I'm not sure how much we'd be in the cabin, particularly in the warm Caribbean. Maybe I should save the money for an SY on a Canada/New England or Alaska cruise when I'd be inside more!

 

There are still plenty of SY's available so I still have some time to decide. Isn't is nice to have such awful decisions to make?:D

[mamaofami]

The VA aft cabin isn't any narrower than any other VA. Somehoe, in the caribbean, we're never in the cabin. Who knows, if I had an Sy, maybe, but I doubt it. I'd want to be outside somewhere.

 

Lisa, is the veranda bigger in the Sy?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Carol, yes the verandah is a lot bigger. The SY/SS cabins are 1 and a half times the size of a regular verandah cabin so the verandah is also one and a half times where a normal S Suite is double the size. The thing I like about the SY/SS is the much bigger bathroom with the double sink. The Sy//SS does not have the dressing area like the S Suites but rather simliar to a regular verandah but I liked it better because you get more natural sunlight coming in to do your makeup and hair. The other thing is if you want morning breakfast on the verandah the table is large enough to do that just like and S Suite where in a regular verandah it is small and actually harder to have breakfast set up on the verandah at least in my opinion. To me the SY/SS are truly like having a suite without the price :)

The other thing Heather is I am sure you may do some entertaining with your nephew and his wife cruising with you and this way you have room to invite them over for little Sail Away Parties from port or appetizers before dinner. :)

[mamaofami]

Lisa, thanks for that explanation. I guess Heather has some heavy decision making to do.:D:)